Sink mat



Feb. 19, 1952 J. R. CALDWELL 2,586,612

SINK MAT Filed July 21, 1950 2 SHEETS--SHEET 1 MW 1 "WW IN V EN TOR.

ww/fazw Feb. 19, 1952 J CALDWELL 2,586,612

SINK MAT Filed July 21, 1950 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 oogogogoogogogogoopgoogogogogogogogm egogogogogogogogogogo ogogmgogogogogogogogo Ingcgogogogogogogogogo ogogogogoogogogogogo ogogogogogogogogogogo Q Q Q QQ Q QOQQQQQQ 4 gogogogogogo ogogo 2 w" m 5 "W Z Patented Feb. 19, 1952SINK MAT James R. Caldwell,-Wooster, Ohio, assignor to The WoosterRubber Company, Wooster, Ohio,

a corporation Application July 21, 1950, Serial No. 175,234

1 Claim.

struction comprising a main mat body adapted to rest upon the bottom ofa sink, the main mat body having formed integrally therewith side flapsor extensions readily resiliently movable relative to the main mat bodyso as to be capable of being positioned at an angle thereto to engagethe side walls of the sink when the main mat body is resting on thebottom thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mat constructiondesigned for the purpose indicated, having provision for drainage orpassage of water through the main mat body and beneath same when it isresting on the bottom of a sink and also for passage or drainage of thewater beneath dishes or other articles resting on the upper surface ofthe main mat body. A further important object of my invention is toprovide a mat for the purpose indicated in which the mat is composed ofa.. body of rubber or rubber-like material of relatively thinconstruction, provided with ribs extending from the upper surfacethereof and a plurality of protrusions extending from the lower surfacethereof and peculiarly cooperating with the ribs to reinforce the thinresilient mat body extending between the ribs.

In carrying my invention into practice I provide a mat composed ofrubber or rubber-like material and consisting of a main mat body andintegrally formed side flaps or extensions comprising a single unitarystructure of generally relatively thin and flexible construction. Theupper side of the main mat portion is provided with a plurality ofuniformly spaced raised ribs, each rib having a fiat upper surface andbeing of substantial width. The main mat portion or body between theribs is provided with a large number of apertures so that water mayreadily pass through the body or main portion of the mat. The undersideof the main portion or main body of the mat is provided with a pluralityof downwardly extending protrusions, each such protrusion being arrangedso that it extends between two adjacent ribs extending from the upperside of the mat, so that each of the protrusions bridges the thinportion of the mat extending between such two adjacent ribs.

This serves to reinforce the main portion or main body of the mat whichmay thus be largely composed of relatively thin rubber or rubberlikematerial while at the same time providing the main mat portion ofconsiderable substance by reason of the reinforcing cooperation of theribs and protrusions aforementioned.

For a detail description of the invention, reference is now made to theaccompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a sink mat embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of the mat and,

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 44 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view, show-.

ing a portion of the mat in position in a sink.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral I in--' dicates the main body ormain portion of the or extensions formed integrally with the main bodyor main portion I of the mat is provided with a plurality of apertures 4so that liquid such as dish water can readily pass through the mainportion I of the mat.

Extending downwardly from the under side of the main portion I of themat are a plurality of protrusions 5, which as seen best in Figure 2,are preferably of rounded configuration, and each of these protrusions 5is arranged so that it extends across the thin portion of the main bodyI between two adjacent ribs 3 whereby to bridge the thin portion of themain body I of the mat between the ribs and serve to reinforce the same.

The entire mat A is preferably formed of a single unitary body of softrubber or synthetic rubber and the main portion I between the ribs andprotrusions 3 and 5 is relatively thin, as are the side flaps orextensions 2. The line of juncture of the side flaps or extensions 2with the main mat portion I is indicated by the numeral 6 and it will benoted that the side flaps or extensions 2 have a maximum thickness asindicated by the numeral 1' immediatelyadjacent the line of juncture 6with the relatively thin main portion or main body I of the mat A. Theside flaps or extensions taper slightly from the point of maximumthickness 1 to the outer edge thereof indicated by the numeral 8.

It will be apparent that the construction of the mat is such that theside flaps or extensions 2 are-readily movable relative to the main bodyor main mat portions I along the lines of juncture B so that the sideflaps or extensions can be positioned at an angle to the main body ormain portion I, as seen in Figure 5.

Themat of the invention will be made' in various sizes such that themain body or main portion I of a given mat is approximately the size ofthe bottom of a standard sized sink employed for washing of dishes orother relatively fragile disposed at an angle thereto and engage theside walls of the sink in which the mat is disposed. Thus;"the-side andbottom walls of the sink will be protected and the dishes or otherarticles being washed in the sink will be protected from direct contactwith the walls of the sink. Moreover, the provision of the apertures 4will enable water to pass through the main body I of the mat to afforddrainage; and the ribs 3 will support the articles being washed in thesink in such amanner as to afford drainage or passage of water beneaththe articles thus supported. Simii larly, the protrusions 5extendingfrom the bottom of the main body I of the mat support the samein raised condition from the bottom of the sink toafford space.- for thepassage of waterv be tween the bottom of the mat and the sink,

whereby drainage is adequately provided for.

It will be noted that main body or main mat portion I of the mat A is ofgenerally rectangular shape as defined by the lines of juncture 6 of theflaps 2 therewith, the rectangular shape of the main body Isubstantially conforming to the shape of. the bottom of the sink inwhich the mat is to be used. The flaps 2 are movable relatively to themain body I about the lines of juncture 6 of the flaps 2 with the thinportion of the main body I.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and. desire tosecure by Letters Patent'ofthe United States is:

A mat of the-classdescribed comprising a main body portion of. arelatively thin cross section and of generally rectangular shape, andside extensions forzned integrally with said main body, one sideextension extending from each side of the. main. body and. movablerelatively thereto about the. line. of. juncture of the. respectiveex--- tension with said main body, the said main body having a pluralityof spacedribs extending up.

Wardly from the upper surface. thereof, the said mainbody havingaplurality'of apertures there through disposed? between saidribs, thesaid main body having a plurality of protrusions extending downwardly"fromthe. under surface thereof ,each of saidprotrusions being arrangedto extend be tween" two adjacent ribs bridgingthe relatively thin mainbody portion between said ribs.

JAMES R. CALDWELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in thefile ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

